Lameness

For the record, I hate my ISP. I can't wait to get DSL.

I never thought I'd say that. But I can get it for 50% off, and if I want, I can get my own home run from the DSLAM. Mine, all mine!

As for the stupid Clearwire, I need to move the modem so I get better signal, but this is fucking ridiculous.

Phones

So we made it through six weeks in the classroom to get to this point: talking with real live customers on the phone.

I didn't want to push the button... who the hell knew what was going to be waiting on the other side. It wasn't so much fear, it was knowing that many of our customers are calling about mistakes on their bills -- mistakes mostly due to their inability to read and comprehend.

My first call was 50 minutes. Five zero minutes. At the end of it, I sold a phone and added a 2-year contract. Roughly $110 toward my commission. I guess we're supposed to do $1,000 a month. Maybe more.

The rest of my calls... I forgot stuff. Didn't follow my script, couldn't sell shit. Meh.

All in all, I think I had one of the more positive experiences. I didn't freak out, except for when I didn't know how to transfer a call -- I mean really, you expect me to remember something I was shown 5 minutes before I hit auto in? I don't think so. And don't get cranky with me because you can't keep cool under pressure.

I guess in my old age, I don't let shit bother me like it used to. You have a bad call? Chances are, the next one will be better. Or the next one. There's *always* light at the end of the tunnel.

We were relatively insulated from bullshit until today. I guess it's easy to look back and see what we could've or should've done differently in the weeks leading up to this. We want one thing, they want another. We'll see who wins.

Seriously...

Yeah. I'm a heretic.

Snopes.

History.com

And amazingly, there's this from allaboutjesuschrist.org (nope, not linking to it, sorry):

Origin of Christmas - The Traditions and Controversies
For today's Christian, the origin of Christmas is, and should be, the birth of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Bible. Nothing more and nothing less. However, most of what we witness on December 25th each year has absolutely nothing to do with that blessed day, which probably occurred in late summer or early fall about 2,000 years ago. In fact, most of the customs and traditions of Christmas actually pre-date the birth of Jesus, and many of them are downright deceptive in their meaning and origin. Here are a few examples:

The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient "birthday" of the son-god, Mithra, a pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the week prior to December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout the Roman temples.

Variations of this pagan holiday flourished throughout the first few centuries after Jesus Christ, but it probably wasn't until 336 AD that Emperor Constantine officially converted this pagan tradition into the "Christian" holiday of Christmas.

So, from what I can tell in my brief amount of research, the "real" day isn't important to the devout, it's the "spirit" of the event. I guess I can buy that. Maybe.

But really. Get off the "put the Christ back in Christmas" soapbox. Not everyone is Christian. In fact, most of the world isn't.

If you want to focus on something, focus on the spirit of peace, love and giving -- all year, not just one or two days. If people put the same amount of energy they use shopping and being greedy into something positive, the world could be an amazing place.

Put that same energy into becoming educated, especially since 2008 is an election year.

Accuse me of not being in the "spirit of the day," I don't care. I'm tired of the hype and the bullshit. Love your family and friends all the time. Give people gifts just because, not because the TV or the calendar tell you to.

Seriously. Pomp and circumstance are one thing. Be genuine, be original, be independent.

P.S. Mikey, I'm starting with you. Be warned. You're gonna get a whacked out, random gift as soon as I find one that's suitable. :D

P.P.S. Pre-emptive defensive response: I'm not the Grinch and I didn't kill your dog or your mama. Agree to disagree and we all get along. If you want to press it, well...

Dogs & cats living together

Roscoe doesn't know that Murphy is a cat.

He keeps trying to hug him with his big, sharp teefs, which I have HUGE problems with. He generally gets along with Cassie because he grew up with her; he has no idea what Murphy is, or that he's the same species as Cassie. I guess 'scoe sees Murphy as a threat, since the cat has been sleeping in the bedroom, and the dog has been sleeping on the couch.

Now, if they could all get along, Roscoe could sleep in the room too. But he's being a royal dick, and I'm not going to have him killing the cat I rescued from the Humane Society.

I am certain that Roscoe has ill intent toward the new feline. He never growls. Never. And the tenor of his bark tells me that he's got aggression toward new cat. The bad thing is, if he does something horrible to Murphy, I think I'd get rid of him -- who can trust a dog that kills another pet? And then I'd have horrible guilt for taking him and getting him put down.

So we're going to try and avoid all that.

If anyone has had good luck with acclimating a dog with a new cat, please do share. I want my animals to get along.

Until then, the baby gate stays up and I go hunting for a squirt gun or bottle.

New cat!

So I got a new cat.

He's Murphy Ringo Caine III, or Murphy for short.

He looks like this:


More pics here.